Improvement in propelling mechanisms for boats



Improvement in Propelling Mechanism folr Beats. No. 129,366, Pafentedlu ly1e,1a72.

j* nl Z2 @Ma UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.v

PATRICK RIPPINCIIAM, or VIRGINIA CITY, NEVADA.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROPELLING M-ECHANISMS FOR BOATS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,366, dated July 16, 1872.

SPECIFICATION. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, P. RIPPINGHAM, of Virginia City, State of Nevada, have invented an Improved Device for Propelling Canal-Boats; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawing are sufficient to enable any person 4 skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to a novel construction and arrangement of mechanism for towing or propelling canal-boats along a canal.

The object of my invention is to provide such a propelling power that it can be easily regulated and controlled, and at the same time possess all of the qualities essential to a canal propeller, such as producing a uniform steady movement of the vessel without creating unnecessary agitation of the waters in the canal;

also of being able to increase or diminish the speed, and to back or stop the boat, at the will of the engineer. To accomplish these purposes I employ a suitable traction-wheel upon the tow-path of the canal, which is connected with and operated by machinery on board of the canal-boat, so that the revolutions of the wheel in contact with the path will tow the boat.

In order to more fully illustrate and explain my invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section. Fig. 3 is a top view of the frame. Fig. 4 is an end elevation.

A represents a suitable base or foundation, which may, if desired, be secured upon transverse ways inside of a canal-boat or other vessel, so that it can be moved to and from the shore-side of the vessel in order to cause the wheel to travel in or upon the track or towpath, be it near to or at a distance from the bank ofthe canal. Secured to this foundation are four vertical posts, b b and b b', which are so located that they represent the four corners of a parallelogram. Between the two posts, at each end of the parallelogram, a vertical steam-cylinder, C, is secured, being attached both to the foundation and to the posts, as shown. A piston moves up and down in each of these cylinders, and the piston-rod d passes through a stuliing-box in the upperV end of the cylinders and extends up to a frame, E, to thc opposite ends of which they are secured. The

are united midway between the two pairs of x posts by a casting, F, shown at Fig. 3, and a hollow vertical shaft or sleeve, Gr, is secured in the castin g so that it can revolve independent of it. The upper of this hollow shaft extends above the casting, and is secured to a large worm-wheel, H, while it extends below the casting to near the foundation A. Ashaft, I, passes down through the center of the Worm-wheel H and through the hollow shaft G, being supported by a beveled pinion, j, on its upper end, which rests upon the upper face of the worm-wheel H. A pinion, k, is also secured to its lower end, below the hollow shaft or sleeve G, for the purpose hereinafter described. A worm or screw-rod, l, is supported in boxes on opposite sides of the frame E in such a position that it will engage with the teeth of the Worm-wheel H, and this screwrod can be turned by a crank, m, by hand or otherwise by machinery, so as to cause the worm-wheel to be revolved in either direction, according to the revolution of the screw. Firinly secured upon the worm-Wheel H are two strong metal boxes, a n, one upon each side of the beveled pinion j, and the horizontal Wheel-shaft. O is supported at one end in these boxes, as shown. This shaft is long enough to extend out upon one side of the lboat and carry at its opposite end a large traction-wheel, P, which will travel upon the ordinary tow-path along the bank of the canal or upon a track prepared for it, as desired. This shaft can be made in two or more sections, if desired. In every case I should construct it in two sections at least, and unite the two sections by a hinge or universal joint, as

at q. The outer or external section can bemade in two or more parts, and these parts can be hollow, so that they will slide inside of one another in the manner of a telescope. yBy

constructing it in this manner the shaft can be extended or shortened at pleasure, as circumstances require, by means of a simple mechanism under the control of the engineer. To support the outer section of the shaft, a strong metal arm, R, has one end secured to the worm-wheel, while its opposite end extends out towards the end of the shaft and is bifurcated, so that its arms extend upon each side below the shaft. These arms support a small frame, S, in which is a sliding box through which the extreme section of the shaft 0 passes. This box is held in place by a spring, t, which presses it downward against the bottom of the frame. Now, when the wheel is moving upon the land, should the vessel be rocked by the motion of the waves, or in case of unevenness of the tow-path, the joint in the shaft will permit the wheel to rise and fall by compressing the spring. Below the sliding frame E is a strong metal table or disk, U, which is properly supported, and through which the hollow shaft Gr passes; a vertical toothed or ribbed cylinder, V, steps its lower end in the foundation A, while its upper end is supported in the table U in such a position that the toothed wheel or pinion k on the lower end of the shaft I will engage with the ribs in the manner of toothed gears. The cylinder V is revolved through the bevelgears W W by power applied to the crank X, or by other means, from an engine located inside of the vessel. By this arrangement of mechanism I am enabled to control and regulate the traction-wheel with great ease and facility, as by turning the crank m the angle of the shaft 0 can be readily changed as desired, in order to guide the boat, by changing the travel of the wheel, thus obviating the necessity of a rudder; or it can be turned far enough to carry the traction-wheel entirely on board the boat. This will be necessary when two boats traveling in opposite directions meet upon the same bank. When this is to be done it will be necessary to apply steam to the cylinders below the piston. "his forces frame E upward so as to lift the entire mechanism upon it, including the shaft O and traction-wheel, when by turning the crank m the wheel H will be revolved so as to carry the traction-wheel in a line with the travel of As the frame E is moved upward the boat.

the pinion K continues its engagement with the ribbed cylinder V, so that the operation of the wheel can be continued at any and every point of elevation. I prefer to employ a large wheel provided with an elastic tire, similar to the wheels used on tractionengines, but I do not confine myself to any particular style of wheel; neither do I conne myself to a wheel moving directly upon the tow-path, as a track or rail could be used for the wheel to move upon.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is Y 1. The Sliding frame E, in combination with the posts b b b b and steam-cylinders C, substantially as and for the purpose above described. l

2. The sliding frame E with its center casting F, in combination with the hollow independent shaft G, worm-wheel H, and screwrod l, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

3. The worm-wheel H or equivalent turntable, with its vertical hollow shaft or sleeve G, in combination with the shaft I with its pinions j and 7c and toothed cylinder V, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

4. The worm-wheel H or equivalent turntable, with its boxes a a, in combination with the shaft O and traction-wheel P, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

5. The shaft O made in two or more sections, and having the universal joint at q, in combination with the arm It, frame s, and spring t, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

6. The adjustable tractionwheel I), when caused totravel directly upon the tow-path of a canal and operated by machinery on board the canal-boat, for the purpose of propelling the boat by its traction, as specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

PATRICK RIPPINGHAM.

Witnesses:

T. C. WooDwARD, B. S. HEDRICK. 

